Concord trustees consider rezoning resolution for new housing development

Seventy-three houses may call Concord Township home by June of next year, if trustees pass a rezoning resolution at their Sept. 18 meeting. Tuckstell Investments LLC is proposing a housing subdivision on nearly 100 acres of land west of Concord-Hambden Road and northwest of Winchell Road. The developer proposes the lots to be subdivided under a conservation plan to maximize as much green space as possible. Such a plan would be the fourth in the township and the first approved plan since 2009. But the plan awaits approval from trustees to rezone the 100 acres from R-4 residential to R-2 residential and shrink the homeowner lots from an acre to no less than half an acre. "It's a reduction in lot sizes and lot widths in order to provide for open spaces," said Kathy Mitchell, director of zoning and planning for Concord Township. "It's a trade-off. You provide flexible zoning, reduce setbacks and smaller lot sizes in order to preserve natural features and significant open space areas." The subdivision, which is named Concord Ridge, was presented at a public hearing Wednesday before Concord Township trustees. The subdivision's rezoning proposal already has been approved before Concord's Zoning Commission following a two-part public hearing that drew more than 40 people. Richard Sommers, a principal at the company, introduced the plan's latest map Wednesday. "It's a substantial increase in green space and we went from 115 to 73 lots," Sommers said. The lots range between 0.5 and 0.875 acres and each will have a house built for a single-family residence valued between $300,000 and $400,000, Sommers said. All of the proposed houses will be connected to a stormwater and sanitary pipe system separate from any existing system, Sommers said, and produce no more runoff than what currently exists. Nearly 50 percent of the property will be dedicated as wetland space and maintained by a third party. "Typically, a homeowners association takes those green spaces, but what happens is they don't pay the taxes, they don't take care of it and you end up with neighbor fights because the president of the homeowners association has to tell somebody they can't ride their ATV on the green space," Sommers said. "You end up with what I call 'neighbor wars.' " Three groups have indicated an interest in serving as stewards of the green space, including the Lake County Soil and Water Conservation District, Sommers said, Concord trustees recessed Wednesday's public hearing and asked Sommers to provide three items at the next public hearing at 7 p.m. Sept. 18. Those items include a letter from the conservation district on what they intend to do if they are selected as stewards of the green space, a letter from Lake County indicating that there is enough sanitary pipe for this project, and an amendment clarifying or editing the 43rd line item on Concord Ridge's declaration of restrictive covenants. Trustee Connie Luhta said she was concerned that the way the line item presently read could allow a future owner to abolish all rules to the property, as long as all of the lots have been sold. Sommers said if trustees approve the rezoning resolution at their Sept. 18 meeting, construction could start near Forest Valley Lane in late October. The project would continue through the winter and expect to be finished in June, he said.

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Simon Husted joined the News-Herald in February 2013. The Buffalo native and Kent State graduate covers schools and community issues in Fairport Harbor, Perry Township, Perry Village, North Perry, Madison Township and Madison Village. Reach the author at shusted@news-herald.com
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